Method of manufacturing nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxides by flame spraying pyrolysis

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for producing the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide using flame-spraying pyrolysis is provided. The method of producing a nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide comprising the steps of: spraying minute droplets formed at normal temperature from a solution dissolved with a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt; atomizing the minute droplets through rapid expansion by spraying into a high temperature environment generated by the combustion of oxygen and hydrogen; decomposing the atomized minute droplets thermally at high temperature. An apparatus for producing a nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide by utilizing a flame spraying pyrolysis comprises a minute droplet generating section ( 100 ), a combusting section ( 200 ) and a particle collecting section ( 300 ). The produced nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide can be applied to a highly efficient lithium battery. Due to the high energy density of lithium batteries as the electrode materials, it is also can be applied to a thin film type of battery as well as to a miniaturized battery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a method of producing nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide utilizing a flame spraying pyrolysis. More particularly, this method is related to effectively produce nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide as an electrode material for storing energy from an aqueous metal solution containing the lithium and cobalt metallic salt by utilizing the flame spraying pyrolysis. Especially, the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide is verified to have the super-electrochemical properties as the active material for a lithium ion battery.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Because lithium batteries are capable of providing highly dense energy while maintaining a low weight, the lithium battery has become a major power source for most small portable electrical equipment since the mid 1980s.

[0005] Recently, use of the lithium ion secondary battery, which is a type of lithium battery, has rapidly increased. The lithium ion secondary battery comprises a cathode, anode, organic electrolyte and organic separator. The lithium-cobalt oxide as the active material, has the properties of excellent reversibility, low discharge rate, high capacity, high energy density and easy synthesis. Lithium-cobalt oxide is presently commercialized.

[0006] Even though the lithium ion secondary battery has a relatively longer life span of charging/discharging, it is limited to 500 cycles of charging/discharging. Therefore, experiments are being conducted to develop the new materials for a long lasting life battery having a high operating voltage and a large capacity for charging/discharging with high efficiency.

[0007] Especially, the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide developed for the lithium battery enables not only increasing exertion of excellent specific energy and speed of charging/discharging, but also providing stabilization of high cycles when the lithium ion is performing the intercalation-deintercalation. Thus, it is anticipated as the electrode materials which have high efficiency with longer life spans than the presently commercialized battery with 10˜30 μm of lithium-cobalt oxide.

[0008] However, the methods suggested for producing nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide employs the processes of zol-gel, dehydrofreezing evaporation, supercritical dehydration, supersonic hydrothermal synthesis and ultra sonic.

[0009] Furthermore, the process of solid states synthesis for producing the lithium-cobalt oxide is well known and is a simple and economical process. However, this process has difficulty in producing micro-sized particles below 10 μm of the lithium-cobalt oxide due to coagulation arising from the non-uniform distribution of the particles, the non-bipolar synthesis and solid phase reaction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide utilizing a flame spraying pyrolysis. This process will provide excellent charging/discharging performance and high cycle stability properties, significantly prolonging the life span of a battery. The nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide produced by utilizing a vaporization process possesses super-electrochemical properties so that it can combine high efficiency with the long life span of a lithium battery.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing the lithium-cobalt oxide, which has less than a few tens of nano-meters of the lithium-cobalt oxide particles from a solution containing lithium and cobalt salts through the flame spraying pyrolysis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating an apparatus configuration to produce the nano-sized particles according to the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a TEM photograph of lithium-cobalt oxide produced by the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating a result of Raman analysis of lithium-cobalt oxide produced by the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a result of X-ray diffraction analysis of lithium-cobalt oxide powder produced depending on the variation of the lithium and cobalt mole rate.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating a result of X-ray diffraction analysis of lithium-cobalt oxide powder produced depending on the variation of the hydrogen flow rate

[0017]FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating a result of X-ray diffraction analysis of lithium-cobalt oxide powder produced by using lithium and cobalt salts.

[0018] FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are graphs illustrating the properties of charging/discharging and cycle spans when the lithium-cobalt oxide is applied to the lithium battery as a bipolar active material according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, a method of the present invention provides for producing the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide by utilizing a flame spraying pyrolysis. The production method comprises the steps of: spraying minute droplets under low temperature from a solution dissolved with a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt; atomizing the minute droplets by spraying them into a high temperature environment generated by combusting the oxygen and hydrogen so that the minute droplets are rapidly expanded; decomposing the atomized liquid droplets rapidly and thermally in a high temperature environment; condensing the nano-sized composite oxides produced in gaseous phase; and collecting the nano-sized composite oxide produced in a gaseous phase.

[0020] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail accompanying with the drawings.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus of the present invention comprises a minute droplet generating section 100, a combusting section 200 and a particle collecting section 300.

[0022] In the minute droplet generating section 100, a solution S, which is a mixture of the lithium salt with cobalt salt is filled in the reservoir. An ultrasonic generator is installed in the solution reservoir 110 for producing the minute droplets. A gas injection tube 120 for supplying and a solution discharging tube 130 are connected to the solution reservoir 110.

[0023] The solution discharging tube 130 is installed interior of the burner 200. At one side the burner 200, five gas injection tubes 210 as a heat source are connected to the combustor or combustion chamber 200.

[0024] In the particle collector 300, a condensation tube 310 having a coolant inlet tube 320 condenses the vaporized particles, which is expanded by the combustor 200.

[0025] Operation of the apparatus for producing the nano-sized particles is described as follows:

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, 50 ml of aqueous solutions that is dissolved containing a ratio of metal salt is filled in the solution reservoir 110 for generating the minute droplets by an ultrasonic vibrator.

[0027] Sequentially, Argon (Ar) gas is supplied to the solution reservoir 110 through the gas injection tube 120 in order to readily transmit the generated droplets into the interior of the combustor 200 through the five gas injection tubes 210.

[0028] At this moment, the interior temperature of the combustion chamber must be maintained above 800° C. for the flame of a vapor phase oxidizing reaction. Therefore, a technology is required to have the vapor phase reaction at high temperature along with continuous gas supply.

[0029] For technical support, the present invention adopts the sequential order of supplying gas through the five gas injection tubes 210 of heat source to a burner 200. The sequential order of the gas supplying tube is consisted of (Reacting Substance+Argon)/Argon/Hydrogen/(Oxygen+Air)/Air from the center tube to outward for generating the flame. The temperature of the flame and retaining time for reacting the substances are controlled by adjusting the amount of hydrogen, oxygen and air supplied to the burner.

[0030] The lithium-cobalt oxide generated by heat decomposing reaction in the flame is collected at the particle collector 300 disposed above the burner by condensing through the coolant inlet tube 320.

[0031] In the present invention, the minute droplets are formed from a solution dissolved with a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt under the normal temperature below 100° C. to spray.

[0032] Sequentially, the minute droplets are injected into an environment of high temperature 800° C.˜1700° C. generated by the combustion of oxygen, and hydrogen. At this moment, the minute droplets are rapidly expanded to begin atomizing.

[0033] Continuously, the atomized droplets are thermally decomposed at a high temperature of 800° C.˜1700° C. in a few seconds.

[0034] The gas phase of nano-sized composite oxidizing particles generated by thermal decomposition is then condensed and collected.

[0035] In the following implementing examples, the method of producing the nano-sized particles through the above-mentioned steps will be described in detail.

[0036] A metallic aqueous solution containing lithium salt and cobalt metallic salt is prepared as a reacting solution to produce the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide by a heat decomposing reaction utilizing the flame.

[0037] The initial materials of lithium acetate (LiCH₃COOH) as the lithium salt and cobalt acetate (Co(CH₃COOH)₂) as cobalt metallic salt are selected. From these crude salts, a metallic aqueous solution containing lithium salt and cobalt metal salt is produced by adjusting the mole ratio of lithium and cobalt.

[0038] At this point, the salts which are dissolved in an aqueous solution are selected either from one of: lithium acetate (LiCH₃COOH), lithium nitrate (LiNO₃), lithium hydroxide (LiOH) or lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) as the lithium salt and cobalt acetate (Co(CH₃COOH)₂), cobalt nitrate (Co(NO₃)₂), cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)₂) or cobalt carbonate (CoCO₃) as the cobalt salt.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, 50 ml of the reacting solution produced through the above process is filled into the solution reservoir 110 to generate the minute droplets at low temperature by an ultrasonic vibrator.

[0040] Sequentially, a certain amount of Argon (Ar) gas is supplied to one side of the solution reservoir 110 through the gas injection tube 120 to readily transmit the generated droplets to the interior of the combustor 200.

[0041] At this point, the interior temperature of the combustor must be maintained above 1000° C. of the flame for vapor phase oxidizing reaction. Therefore, a technology is required to have the vapor phase reaction at a high temperature along with a continuous gas supply.

[0042] For technically supporting the present invention, a sequential order is adopted for supplying gases through the five gas injection tubes 210 of heat source to a burner 200. The sequential order of the gas supplying tubes are consisted of (Reacting Substance+Argon)/Argon/Hydrogen/(Oxygen+Air)/Air from the center tube to the outward for generating the flame. The flame temperature and retaining time for reacting the substances are controlled by adjusting the amount of hydrogen, oxygen and air being supplied to the burner.

[0043] The lithium-cobalt oxide which is generated by heat decomposing reaction in the flame is collected at the lower part of condensation tube 310 by condensing through the coolant inlet tube 320.

[0044] The lithium acetate and cobalt acetate are selected among the various lithium salts and cobalt metallic salts to produce the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide. The reacting formula proposed by the present invention is represented as follows:

LiCH₃COOH (aq)+Co(CH₃COOH)₂ (aq)+3O₂ (g)→LiCoO₂ (s)+5CO₂ (g)↑+{fraction (9/2)}H₂ (g)↑  (Reacting Formula 1)

[0045] Hereinafter, the detailed descriptions of each implementing example of the present invention are presented for the variations of the properties of the lithium-cobalt oxide particles depending on varying the mole ratios of lithium and cobalt and hydrogen flow rate.

[0046] In the present invention, the supplied gases to the burner are arranged so that the first & second injection tube are for Argon gas, the third injection tube is for hydrogen gas, the fourth injection tube is for oxygen gas and the fifth injection tube is for air. A series of experiments for producing the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide is carried out by varying the flow rates of the supplied gases and reacting mole ratios of lithium salt and cobalt salt and lithium and cobalt.

[0047] {Implementing Example 1}

[0048] The lithium acetate and cobalt acetate are selected as the initial crude materials. An aqueous solution is prepared with 1.2 mole ratios of lithium and cobalt. Then, 50 ml of the prepared aqueous solution is filled in the solution reservoir 110 to generate the minute droplets by the ultrasonic vibrator at the low temperature. The generated droplets are continuously transmitted to the burner by Argon gas with a flow rate of 2 l/min.

[0049] The temperature of the interior burner must be maintained above 800° C. to provide a vapor phase oxidizing reaction for flames by adjusting the concentration of hydrogen 1:1 and the air flow rate of 20˜50 vol %. In order to achieve the above conditions, the sequential order of supplying gases through the five injection tubes to the burner consists of (Reacting Substance+Argon)/Argon/Hydrogen/(Oxygen+Air)/Air from the center tube to the outward. As a result, the generated particle size of lithium-cobalt oxide is in the range of a couple tens nano meters as shown in FIG. 2.

[0050] Further, the property of crystallization of the collected lithium-cobalt oxide is verified by a powder X-ray diffraction analyzer. The results shown in the FIG. 3 reveals that the property of crystallization is the same as the commercialized 99.8% lithium-cobalt oxide.

[0051] {Implementing Example 2}

[0052] Using the same method as Implementing Example 1, the mole ratios of lithium and cobalt is gradually increased from 1.2 through 2.0 for producing the lithium-cobalt oxide. The property of crystallization is examined for the collected lithium-cobalt oxide by a powder X-ray diffraction analyzer.

[0053] The results as shown in FIG. 3, the crystallization of lithium-cobalt oxide deteriorates as the mole ratios of lithium and cobalt is increased. At the peak, the phase purity (I₀₀₃/I₀₀₄, integrated ratio) is transformed to a deteriorated state.

[0054] Accordingly, when an aqueous solution adjusted within 1.2 mole ratios of lithium and cobalt is selected, an excellent uni-phase crystallization of the lithium-cobalt oxidized powder could be produced.

[0055] {Implementing Example 3}

[0056] Under the same conditions as the Implementing Example 1, the effect of the reacting temperature on the crystallization of the lithium-cobalt oxide is ascertained while the flow rate of hydrogen is varying between 15˜35% with the fixed volume rates of Oxygen 30%, Argon 10% and Air 25% in the total gas flow rates.

[0057] Since the flame is generated by the combustion of hydrogen, the flame temperature increases with an increase in the hydrogen gas flow rate. According to the present invention, the flame temperature is able to increase in the range of 800° C. to 1700° C. as the hydrogen gas flow rate varies from 15% to 35% with the argon gas flow rate varies from 5% to 15%.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 5, the lithium-cobalt oxide powder produced by varying the hydrogen gas flow rates i.e., varying the flame temperature is analyzed through an X-ray diffraction analyzer. The result shows that there is no remarkable effect from varying the hydrogen gas flow rates or flame temperatures compared with varying the mole ratios of lithium and cobalt. However, it is noticeable that the crystallization of the lithium-cobalt oxide powder is improved at the peak when increasing the hydrogen gas flow rates (the reacting temperature).

[0059] However, it is preferable to maintain the hydrogen gas flow rate below 30% to produce a pure lithium-cobalt oxide which is exclusive of the product of intermediating transformations such as a cobalt oxide (CoO) found at 2θ=35.25°, 42.40°, beside the peak.

[0060] {Implementing Example 4}

[0061] Under the same conditions and method of the Implementing Example 1, the lithium nitrate and cobalt nitrate are selected for producing the lithium-cobalt oxide. As shown (a) in FIG. 6, the analysis of the lithium-cobalt oxidized powder produced by the selected nitrate salts reveals the same uni-phase crystallization of the lithium-cobalt oxide, as produced by the selected acetate salts in the Implementing Example 1.

LiNO₃ (aq)+Co(NO₃)₂ (aq)→LiCoO₂ (s)+3NO₂ (g)↑+½O₂ (g)↑  (Reacting Formula 2)

[0062] {Implementing Example 5}

[0063] Under the same conditions and method of the Implementing Example 1, the lithium hydroxide and cobalt nitrate is selected for producing the lithium-cobalt oxide. As shown (b) in FIG. 6, the analysis of the lithium-cobalt oxidized powder produced by the lithium hydroxide and cobalt nitrate reveals the same uni-phase crystallization of the lithium-cobalt oxide by utilizing the flame spraying pyrolysis.

LiOH (aq)+Co(NO₃)₂ (aq)→LiCoO₂ (s)+2NO₂ (g)↑+½H₂O (g)↑+¼O₂ (g)↑  (Reacting Formula 3)

[0064] {Implementing Example 6}

[0065] When the lithium-cobalt oxide produced in the Implementing Example 1 is applied to the anode of a lithium battery, the charging/discharging curves is shown in FIG. 7(a). The capacities of the charging or discharging in the first cycle are 165 mAh/g and 154 mAh/g, respectively. This battery capacity is revealed that it has much higher values than conventional battery capacities of the charging/discharging used for the anodes in the battery industry.

[0066]FIG. 7(b) represents the behavior of an anode cycle showing a tendency of decreasing the charging/discharging capacities as increasing the number of charging/discharging cycles. It shows that the capacity of 30 cycles is decreased 10% than that of the first cycle.

[0067] As the result, the lithium-cobalt oxide produced by utilizing the flame spraying pyrolysis is can be possibly applied to energy storage materials such as a lithium battery.

[0068] According to the above-mentioned apparatus and method, it is possible to produce the super nano-sized particle as valuable powdered active bipolar materials. Specially, it enables the production of energy storage materials possessing excellent electrochemical properties such as a lithium battery.

[0069] It is also possible to control the thermal decomposing conditions for producing the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide powder by the flame spraying pyrolysis. Therefore, the oxidization/reduction condition of the cobalt is precisely adjusted to produce very pure and an excellent crystallization of the lithium-cobalt oxide. So, it enables an application of the electrode material of a lithium battery as the energy storage materials.

[0070] According to the present invention, it is able to produce the nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide having highly purity and crystallization without any postproduction treatment. It also allows an easy adjustment to the reacting condition to produce the powder without a post processing such as calcinations. When it is applied to the lithium battery as bipolar materials, it could prolong the life span and increase the charging/discharging speed.

[0071] It is also possible to apply the highly efficient lithium battery to the bipolar active materials. Due to the high energy density of lithium batteries, the electrode materials enables the application of the thin film type of battery as well as miniaturized type of battery.

[0072] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of producing nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide by utilizing a flame spraying pyrolysis, the method comprises steps of: spraying minute droplets under a normal temperature from a solution dissolving a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt, atomizing the minute droplets by rapidly expanding into an environment of high temperature provided by combusting oxygen and hydrogen, decomposing the atomized droplets thermally at the high temperature environment in a few second to produce nano-sized oxides in gaseous phase, condensing the nano-sized composite oxides produced in gaseous phase, and collecting the condensed nano-sized composite oxides.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said solution dissolving a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt is prepared within 1.2˜2.0 mole ratios of lithium and cobalt.
 3. The method as claimed claim 2, wherein said solution dissolving a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt is selected either one of lithium acetate (LiCH₃COOH), lithium nitrate (LiNO₃), lithium hydroxide (LiOH) or lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) as the lithium salt and cobalt acetate (Co(CH₃COOH)₂), cobalt nitrate (Co(NO₃)₂), cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)₂) or cobalt carbonate (CoCO₃) as the cobalt salt.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said minute droplets are produced under the normal temperature of below 100° C. by utilizing an ultrasonic generator disposed in a fluid reservoir.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the atomizing of the minute droplets is provided the high temperature environment of 800° C.˜1700° C. by combusting oxygen and hydrogen.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the high temperature is provided by arranging five injection tubes as a heat source, wherein the arrangement of gases supplying is consisted of (Reaction Substance+Argon)/Argon/Hydrogen/(Oxygen+Air)/Air from a center tube to outward of burner.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said temperature of 800° C.˜1700° C. is generated by supplying hydrogen and argon gases to the burner in flow rates of 15%˜35% and 5˜15%, respectively.
 8. An apparatus for producing nano-sized lithium-cobalt oxide by utilizing a flame spraying pyrolysis comprises: a minute droplet generating section (100) having an ultrasonic generator in a reservoir (110) for preparing a solution dissolving a certain ratio of lithium salt and cobalt salt, a combusting section (200) having a gas injection tube (120), solution discharging tube (130) and five gas injection tubes (210) as a heat source, and a particle collecting section (300) having a condensation tube (310) and a coolant inlet tube (320) for condensing and collecting a vaporized nano-sized composite oxides. 